Garden and beach umbrella



S p 1951 v. A. R. PRIMAVERA GARDEN AND BEACH UMBRELLA Filed Nov. 8, 1948 Z'mventor:

VINCENT A. R. PRIMAVEBA Cittorneg Patented. Sept. 18, 1951 um'rsosrArlzs PATENT OFFICE GARDEN AND BEACH UMBRELLA Vincent A. R. Priinaverm'Norton, Conn.

Application November 8, 194-8, Serial No. 58,820

6 Claims.

My invention relates to umbrellas or that big type which is known under the name garden and beach umbrellas.

V The awning of such an umbrella is spread and tightly stretched by sliding a collar upwardly along the umbrella stick until this collar snaps over a stop resiliently projecting from a recess of the stick. In order to fold the umbrella again, thisstop must be pressed into this recess while simultaneously the collar is moved vertically. These operations require large forces due to the large weight and the strong tension of a big awning. In addition, these operations are difficult and tiresome because the stop to be pressed is situated high near the upper end oithe stick where it is not easily accessible.

Objects of my invention are to facilitate the operation of a garden and beach umbrella, to provide the umbrella with a. chain or with a similarly flexible element which can be pulled or relaxed conveniently, to hoist or lower the collar and thereby to spread or fold the awning by such pull or relaxation, and to operate the stop by the same flexible element whereby one hand can perform all necessary operations.

Other objects are to guide this flexible element so that it can be operated in a convenient direction, to hoist the collar by downward movement whereby the own weight of the operator is available for pulling said element, and to press f the stop out of the stopping position by lateral movement of the flexible element whereby the latter operation does not interfere with simultaneous pull or relaxation of this element in longitudinal direction.

Further objects are to reduce the force necessary for spreading and stretching, to exert a relatively large stretching and hoisting force by application of a relatively small hand force, and to provide an umbrella of heavy weight and large measures with means to stretch its awning tightly.

Still other objects are to attain these results with simple and reliably operating means, and to provide a garden and beach umbrella that can be inexpensively made and can be easily maintained in good working condition.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of exemplifying embodiments of my invention, from the appended claims and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side View of an illustrative embodiment of my invention, a portion of the umbrellas awning being, broken ofi.

Fig. 2 shows a side View of a broken off por tion of the same embodiment.

v Fig. 3 shows another side view of the portion shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 being seen from the right side in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 show side views of a modified portion of the same embodiment, Fig. 4 corresponding'to Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 corresponding to Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 shows a cross-section taken along the lines- 5 in Fig. '3.

' Fi '7. shows a cross-section taken along the line 71 in Fig. 5.

i Fig. 1 is represented on a scale much more reduced than the scale of the remaining figures.

Referring to the drawing, numeral I indicates a foldable cover or awning which is supported by a stick 2. This stick is vertically erected on the ground and may, for example, pass through a table 3. The awning 1 can be spread and tightly stretched by arms 4 hinged in well known manner to a collar 5 which surrounds the stick 2. This collar is slidable along the stick 2 and, moving upwardly, snaps over a nose 3 which forms a stop against downward movement of the collar. The stop 8 is of a structure well known in the art of umbrellas. This structure provides a resilient connection of the stop with the stick whereby the stop is urged into the stopping position shown in the drawing. In this position, the stop 8 projects laterally beyond the stick 2. The stop 2 can be removed from this stopping position by pressing the stop toward the axis of the stick into a lateral recess 9 of the latter.

According to my invention, this pressure is exerted by a member II or 2| which is so hinged v to an extension l2 of the collar 5 that this member contacts the stop 8 in the direction of the stop removing pressure when the collar is positioned over the stop. The member can be moved in this direction by lateral movement of a chainlike flexible element IE or 25 which engages the member in suitable manner, for example, by passing through a vertical opening l3 of the member.

The member H shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 has a fork-shaped part l4 contacting the stop 8 and movable in a substantially lateral or horizontal direction. The member II presses the stop 8 into the recess 9 when the flexible element l5 urges the member toward the stick 2 or toward the recess 9.

The member 2| shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 has a'ring-shaped part 24 which surrounds the stick 2, contacts the stop 8 and is movable in substan- 3 tially lateral direction. In this modification, the opening I3 and the stop 8 are opposite to each other with respect to the axis of the stick 2. The member 2i presses the stop 8 into the recess 9 when the flexible element 25 urges the side wall of the opening I3 in a direction pointing away from the stick 2.

The element I or 25 may be a chain or another similarly flexible element, for example, a rope, a wire or a band. This chain-like element engages the member II or 2| operatively as described before and, in addition, serves to operate a hoisting device which allows to lift and to lower the collar 5. This hoisting device may comprise, in addition to the chain-like element, one or more pulleys and constitutes a movable connection between the collar 5 and the stick 2.

For example, the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a pulley I6 which is rotatably carried by the stick 2 and may have a shaft I'l crossing a slot I8 of the sticks upper part. An about U-shaped piece I9 has its legs aflixed to the collar 5 and extends therefrom in obliquely upward direction. One end 22 of the element I5 is affixed to the piece I9. From this end, the element extends upwardly, runs over the pulley I6 and further down through the opening I3 and as far as the other end of the element I5 which may terminate in a handle 20.

The pulley I6 guides the element I5 so that the latter can be conveniently pulled or operated from a low point, for example, by the handle 20. The operation may be further facilitated by using a hoisting device which reduces the hand force required for lifting the collar and the awning. For example, the modification illustrated by Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a tackle having a plurality of pulleys. One of these pulleys may be identical to the pulley I6 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may be identically carried by a shaft I! and may be identically inserted in a slot I8 of the stick 2. Another pulley 23 is rotatably carried by a shaft 26. This shaft is afiixed to two arms 21 which are affixed to the collar 5 in a manner similar to the legs of the piece I9 whereby the pulley 23 is rotatably connected to this collar. One end of the flexible element 25 is afiixed to a projection 28 of the stick 2. Therefrom the element 25 extends down, runs over the pulley 23, then up and over the pulley l6 and further down through the opening I3 in a manner similar to the corresponding part of the element I5.

Figs. 2 and 3 show one pulley and a forkshaped member I5. Figs. 4 and 5 show two pulleys and a ring-shaped member 2|. However, the ring-shaped member may be used in an embodiment having only one pulley, and the forkshaped member may be used in an embodiment comprising a plurality of pulleys.

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particular embodiments shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that my invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiments shown and described are only a few of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A garden and beach umbrella comprising a foldable awning, a vertical stick supporting said awning, means spreading said awning and comprising a collar slidable along said stick, a re silient stop connected to said stick and normally extending outwardly into a position where said stop prevents said collar from sliding down, a member rockably connected to said collar and engageable with said stop in a direction towards said stick for depressing said stop against the latter to release said collar, said member having an openin a pulley rotatably connected to said stick and positioned over said collar, and a flexible element extending from said collar over said pulley and then downwardly through said opening in said rockable member.

2. A garden and beach umbrella comprising a foldable awning, a vertical stick supporting said awning, means spreading said awning and comprising a collar slidable along said stick, a stop movably connected to said stick and having an end normally positioned in the path of said collar whereby said stop prevents said collar from sliding down, a member movably connected to said collar and engaging said stop in a direction leading said stop out of the path of said collar, a plurality of pulleys, one of which is rotatably connected to said stick and one of which is rotatably connected to said collar, and a flexible element affixed to said stick, trained over said pulleys and operatively engaging said member.

3. A garden and beach umbrella comprising a foldable awning, a vertical stick supporting said awning and having a lateral recess, means spreading said awning and comprising a collar slidable along said stick, a stop resiliently connected to said stick pressable into said recess and normally extending out of said recess into .a position where said stop prevents said collar from sliding down, a member rockably connected to said collar, having a ring-shaped part surrounding said stick and said stop and having an opening positioned oppositely to said stop with respect to said stick, and a hoisting device movably connecting said collar and said stick and comprising a flexible element passing slidably through said opening.

4. A garden and beach Lunbrella comprising a foldable awning, a vertical stick supporting said awning, means spreading said awning including a collar slidable along said stick, a recess formed in said stick, a resilient stop normally extending out of said recess and engageable with said collar for limiting the downward movement of the latter, a member rockably mounted on said collar and engageable with said stop for depressing the latter into said recess thereby releasing said collar for movement along said stick, pulley means carried by said stick substantially above said stop, and a flexible operating element trained over said pulley means and having one run thereof engaging said collar and the other run thereof slidably extending through said rockable member whereby the exertion of a vertical pull on said operating element will effect movement of said collar along said stick, and the exertion of a horizontal pull on said element will effect rocking of said member for depressing said stop to collar releasing position.

5. A garden and beach umbrella comprising a foldable awning, a vertical stick supporting said awning, means spreading said awning and including a collar slidable along said stick, a resilient stop extending outwardly from said stick into a position where said stop prevents said collar from sliding down, a member rockably connected to said collar and engageable with said stop for pressing the latter against said stick to thereby release said collar, said member having an opening, and hoisting means movably connecting said collar and said stick and including a flexible operating element engaging said collar and extending from said engagement upwardly and then downwardly through said opening in said rockable member.

6. A garden and beach umbrella comprising a foldable awning, a vertical stick supporting said awning and having a lateral recess, means spreading said awning and including a collar slidable along said stick, a resilient stop connected to said stick and extending outwardly thereof for engagement with said collar to prevent downward movement of the latter, said stop being depressible into said recess for releasing said collar, a horizontally rockable member mounted on said collar and contacting said stop in a direction in which said member presses said stop into said recess, said member having an opening, and a 20 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS N ame Number Date 32,861 Davis July 23, 1861 1,486,772 Lopez Mar. 11, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,458 Great Britain May 16, 1907 30,410 Sweden Mar. 4, 1911 

